100 Oneshot Challenge
by SwiftintheSky
Summary: This is my submission to Prin Pardus's 100 Oneshot challenge. 100 themes, all oneshots, all written by me. Hope you enjoy, please R&R! Rating may change as time goes on. Chapter 5 - Boredom. Prepare for the adventures of three bored kits! This may just be
1. Injured

I'd never seen it coming. Of course, after it happened, I'd never see again. And it was so humiliating! To be forced into retirement that way... I shudder, just thinking about it.

It had happened on a sunny greenleaf day, the sun shining through the leaves and scattering a dappled pattern of light and darkness that I'd always appreciated. That fateful day, I'd been called to a hunting patrol with Cloudtail, Brackenfur, and my apprentice, Sootpaw. We padded under the forest canopy, the warm, humid air wreathing its way around us. Cloudtail had already caught a large squirrel, and Sootpaw was carrying a mouse, looking quite proud of himself. We were traveling up the RiverClan border, and I was actually feeling quite contented. The whole trouble with BloodClan was far behind me, and my heart was open, full of optimism. (A rather rare occurence for me...)

Sootpaw was chattering on about all the prey he'd managed to catch on an assessment recently with his siblings, Rainpaw and Sorrelpaw, when there was a sudden dart of bright ginger. I whipped around, startled, to see a small brown apprentice, body criss-crossed with stripes, darting across our border. A rabbit sped on past him, its small, quick-working paws brown blurs. "Vole[aw!" came an agitated yowl; a RiverClan patrol stood, fur ruffled, at our border. It consisted of Blackclaw, a smoky black tom, and Swallowtail, a dark brown she-cat.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing on our territory?" Cloudtail hissed, darting in front of the small intruder. The tom - Volepaw, I supposed - skidded to a surprised stop, narrowly missing crashing into the long-furred white warrior. The rabbit sped around a bush and disappeared deep into our territory.

"You let my rabbit get away!" Volepaw cried, sounding quite offended.

"It wasn't your rabbit anymore," I pointed out, an edge to my voice. "It was on our territory."

"Yes, and we'd probably ought to punish you for it," Sootpaw growled, claws working in and out.

"You'd better not!" Blackclaw growled, stepping forward, and putting a single paw over the border. Sootpaw yowled with outrage, and was about to fling himself at the RiverClan tom before I grabbed his tail in my jaws.

"Let's not turn this into a battle." Brackenfur spoke up for the first time, voice mild and calming. Blackclaw shot him a glare, probably thinking the ThunderClan warrior was being condescending, before flicking his tail at his apprentice.

"Come on, Volepaw, let's leave. We have better things to deal with than ThunderClan scum," he sighed.

"ThunderClan what?" screeched Sootpaw, while Cloudtail and I bristled, tails lashing. Even Brackenfur looked ruffled.

Volepaw hung his head, stepping lightly over the border and into his own territory. The RiverClan patrol shot last glares at us before hurrying down to the riverbank, hopping lightly across the steppingstones. We exchanged annoyed glances, before continuing on our hunting patrol.

* * *

><p>It took quite a while before our spirits rose, after that extremely aggravating experience. But by an hour later, we had all but forgotten it as we traipsed through the warm greenleaf forest in search of prey. Birds were twittering in the trees, and my muscles were relaxed under my tabby-striped pelt. That's when I caught a whiff of maliciously familiar cat-scent.<p>

"RiverClan!" I hissed, crouching in the crackly bracken. Instantly, Cloudtail, Brackenfur, and Sootpaw went down too. Has that patrol come back? I wondered, anger boiling in my stomach. The scent drew nearer, until...

I thrust my muzzle through the undergrowth, and instantly felt foolish, a flush rising under my pale silver fur. A rabbit, whom had been peacefully hopping about in the undergrowth, dashed at full speed away from me. The very same rabbit that had been chased over the border by the RiverClan patrol.

"So? Are they there?" A tense, whispered mew reached my ears, dragging me back to the present. I turned to see Sootpaw's worried, but excited face.

"Oh... erm... it was just that rabbit," I mewed, and mrrow s of amusement echoed from my patrol. My ears burned with shame.

"Betcha I can catch it!" Sootpaw challenged, and charged ahead in front of the rest of us, streaking through the bracken.

I raced after him, casting him a competitive smirk as I pulled on ahead, paws thrumming on the soft forest floor. There! I spotted the terrified animal, darting around the side of a juniper bush. I swerved after it, paws sending up puffs of dirt from the drying ground, and barely avoided losing my balance. I heard Sootpaw behind me, a steady thump-thump that grew softer as I forged on ahead of him.

I began to tire, the rabbit pulling on ahead of me. Another few seconds, I'd have to stop, and it would get away. It's now or never. I paused for a split second, coiling the muscles in my hind legs, and sprang powerfully, rising above the dusty light-dappled earth. For a moment, it was as if everything went slowly; I sailed towards the rabbit, paws outstretched, claws unsheathed; I saw it cast back a quick look of terror, before everything was normal on it again and I landed triumphantly, my paws placed squarely on its furry brown back.

It struggled beneath me, paws still churning; I chuckled and picked it up in my jaws by the scruff, about to break its neck, when - pain. Painpainpainpainpain. I felt it fall out of my mouth, heard rustling as it sped away. Some animal let out a thin, drawn-out, agonized wail. It took me several moments to realize it was me. My face was on fire. My eyes were on fire, the worst pain I had ever felt. Something sticky seeped out beneath my eyelids. The drumming pawsteps of my concerned Clanmates met my ears as I sank to the ground with a groan.

"Hey! Hey, are you alright?" Sootpaw. His warm breath reached my ear. Cloudtail and Brackenfur pounded up behind him - "Hey, what happened?" and "Oh my StarClan, are you okay?"

"M-My eyes," I managed to moan. "The r-rabbit..." I struggled to open an eye, but the pain doubled, blood dripping into my wounded eyes, and I screwed it shut with a startled yelp. "I can't see!"

"Don't worry," Brackenfur meowed finally. "We'll get you back to camp, Cinderpelt will fix you up. Come on."

I staggered to my paws and leaned on the golden tom's shoulder, stumbling blindly after him into the forest.

* * *

><p>As he and Cloudtail guided me around trees and bushes, Sootpaw trailing us nervously, it didn't get any better. It only got worse. Pain seared red-hot in my eyes, making me want to wail to StarClan above. I had to bite my tongue to keep myself from doing so. "Almost there," Brackenfur soothed me, and we went down a steep descent. I panicked as I lost my footing, lurching forward into nothingness, but Cloudtail's strong jaws caught me by the scruff of my neck. I picked my way down the rocks to where our camp lay excruciatingly slowly, feeling out each pawhold.<p>

Without my sight, the familiar, easy descent to my home felt like a dangerous journey down a mouselength-thin rocky path. I was as helpless as a newborn kit. Oh, StarClan, please don't make me be like this forever, I prayed, as a particularly agonizing burst of pain made me stagger.

After what seemed like forever, the ground leveled out and we made it into camp. Gasps of shock burst out around us as we emerged from the gorse tunnel. By this point, I was so exhausted by weariness and pain I could barely reply as Firestar's voice rang out nearby. "What's happened?" he demanded, sounding shocked.

Brackenfur answered for me. The golden warrior, whom was normally never ruffled by anything, sounded anxious. "He caught a rabbit, but it turned and scratched him with its claws," he meowed.

"M-My eyes," I managed to breathe, my voice tight with pain. "I can't see..."

"Get him to Cinderpelt," Firestar commanded, sounding worried. This surprised me a bit, as he'd seemed to mistrust me a bit, me having been one of Tigerstar's closest followers, but he sounded genuinely concerned. I didn't have much time to ponder on this as Brackenfur nudged me gently with his muzzle, guiding me to Cinderpelt's den.

Once we reached it, Brackenfur showed me to a nest of moss, which I sank wearily in to. As the golden warrior filled our medicine cat in on the situation, fear constricted my heart. What if I was really never going to see again? I certainly couldn't carry on being a warrior. I'd have to retire early...

As soon as Brackenfur had left, I burst out, "Will I ever be able to see again?"

"I don't know," Cinderpelt replied shortly. "We'll have to wait and see." I whimpered slightly, resting my head on my paws.

I heard her pawsteps, coming up to me. "Eat these," she demanded. I sniffed the air and managed to find the herbs she was speaking of, a few small seeds which I lapped up quickly.

"What are these?" I murmured drowsily.

"Poppy seeds," she explained. "You seemed like you needed the rest."

"Thank you..." I muttered, and drifted away as sleep fell on me, finally dulling the horrible pain.

* * *

><p>When I woke again, I could tell it was night. The slight breeze blowing towards my face was cooler, and all was quiet. When I listened hard, I could hear Cinderpelt's soft breathing behind me. I lifted my head, sniffing the calm air.<p>

The pain in my eyes was dulled now, but it still pulsed malevolently beneath my lids. Something cool and moist was layered onto them.

A wave of panic gripped me. What if I really was never going to see again? How could I do anything useful, anything fun, anything anything , ever again? How could I go on living?

"Don't be afraid," came a soft whisper. Startled, my head whipped up, but of course my eyes stayed close. That was a voice I knew well. Brindleface. My mate, my beloved mate whom Tigerstar had killed for the dogs...

All of a sudden, her sweet scent wreathed around me, her warm breath reaching my face, her nose a whisker's width from mine. "How can't I?" I whispered, shaking. "I might never see again... I'll never hunt, or fight, or train Sootpaw, or see our kits again... My life will be over!"

"Don't say that!" Brindleface mewed sharply, a rarity for the gentle gray queen. "It is not your time to join me yet. You have many seasons left to live. Even - even if you must join the elders, you still have a place in ThunderClan, a destiny to fulfill."

"Brindleface..." I murmured. Suddenly, I was overcome with a desire to see my mate, to see her pretty tabby form just once more. I struggled to open my eyes, excruciating pain searing them as the lids slowly slid up. Hazy vision greeted me, blurred and distorted. But there she was. Struggling against the pain, I focused in on the cat I loved.

She stood before me, her face a mouselength from mine. Her slim, mottled pale gray form, delicate darker gray stripes tracing her pelt like spiderwebs. Her kind, round, gleaming pale green eyes gazed into my ruined blue ones without flinching. Stars glimmered in her pelt, hanging in her fur to make her seem doubly unearthly and surreal, doubly beautiful.

I sighed softly as my eyes slid shut once more. Brindleface leaned forward, her nose touching mine, sending a pulse through my body. "Don't be afraid," she repeated. "I will always be watching you."

She stepped away, and I could feel her scent disappearing, feel her leaving, feel the room emptying. I was alone once more. With a shuddery breath, I rested my head on my paws, giving in to sleep once more.

* * *

><p>When I woke again, it was morning. Brindleface was gone, and I could hear Cinderpelt busying herself with herbs in the front of the den. The pain was still there, dim and throbbing. I raised my head, grunting, and forced my eyes open again.<p>

Nothing.

I gave a sharp cry, blinking furiously even though agonizing pain erupted each time my eyes fluttered open and closed.

Only blackness met my vision, horrible, ominous blackness.

I was blind. I couldn't see anything. And I never would again.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So, yeah. The cat's name was never stated, but by the end of the oneshot you could tell it was Longtail. And I know they never said Brindleface was his mate, but in my mind they weeere. And Brindleface popped out Ashfur and Ferncloud from 'im. I thought about it when working on Into the Shadows (which is on hiatus, sadly... I'm just too busy). Redtail and Brindleface had Sandstorm, but then Redtail died and Brindle pops out another litter like 4 moons later. A cat's pregnancy is only, like, 2 moons. So clearly she took another mate. And I was like "hmmm..." Longtail was one of the few unmated toms, and the genetics somewhat make sense, since they're both basically gray. So.**

**Anyways, I'm a bit excited to be trying Prin Pardus's 100 Oneshot Challenge. One warning: this WILL be updated sporadically, as I am very busy at the moment. :3**


	2. Sinking

**A/N: Okay, FINALLY another oneshot. I actually wrote this a long time ago but was too lazy to post it. :p No reviews, which, meh. Maybe this time.**

* * *

><p>Specklepaw was lying in the RiverClan apprentice den, staring unhappily out of the woven den's entrance. A steady drizzle of silvery rain pitter-pattered into the camp. Transparent droplets dripped off of leaves, bushes, and slicked-down pelts. Small rivulets of water trickled past dens and into the swelling river.<p>

"What's wrong, Cripplepaw?" came a jeer close to his ear. He flinched, and turned wordlessly to see the leering face of a large, sleek golden tabby tom.

"Leave me alone, Flashpaw," the small, speckled dusty brown tom muttered.

"'Leave me alone!' Oh, wow, how fear-inspiring!" Flashpaw mocked. "Any self-respecting apprentice would run at that!"

"Flashpaw!" came a harsh, cutting hiss. Flashpaw jumped, whirling. Another apprentice stalked into the den, her slim form melting out of the steady rain. Her coat was pale golden, lightening to cream on her chest, underbelly, and paws.

"Sheesh, Lightpaw," Flashpaw muttered. "I'll leave you and your pathetic boyfriend alone. Have fun with Cripplekit."

With that, he flicked his tail irritably and slunk out into the rain. Lightpaw rolled her pretty pale blue eyes and walked over to Specklepaw, giving him a friendly nuzzle on the shoudler. "Don't listen to my brother, he's just a frog-brain. But really, Specky, you've gotta learn to stand up for yourself."

"How can I?" Specklepaw mumbled, his ginger-flecked ears burning with shame. "He's - so much stronger than me. I couldn't fight back, especially with..." He cast a forlorn glance back at his left hind leg. It was smaller than the others and twisted; the paw was splayed and the bone melded so that it hung eternally above the ground, useless. He'd been born with the defect and resented it ever since; he was just glad that his mother, Raindapple, had named him Specklepaw and not Cripplepaw, like Flashpaw and his cronies always called him.

The young apprentice was snapped back to reality as Lightpaw took a deep breath, drawing herself up to her full height. He knew her well enough to realize that she was about to launch into lecture mode. "Specklepaw," she started firmly, "You can't let your leg hold you back. With that sort of attitude, you may as well beg Nightowl to be her apprentice right now, or retire to the elders' den." Specklepaw winced; Nightowl was the medicine cat.

"In fact," she went on, "You won't achieve barely anything if you think you can't." _And this is supposed to be encouraging?_ Specklepaw thought sarcastically. "I think - no, I know - that you can do basically anything any other apprentice can, if you put your mind to it. And so does Raindapple. And Brightsplash. I won't let you talk that way anymore, you understand? Or you'll face my wrath." She chuckled to show him she didn't really mean it, and flicked her tail across Specklepaw's nose.

Specklepaw rolled his eyes. "Yes, Lightstar," he mumbled, sending them both into amused giggles.

* * *

><p><em>That was a half-moon ago, but things haven't improved much,<em> Specklepaw thought with a sigh, as he limped over to the fresh-kill pile and selected a silvery fish. He was still a constant target of teasing. He carried his fish over to the apprentice den and settled down to eat.

Flashpaw was his top ridiculer. Ironic, considering Lightpaw was his best - okay, only - friend, and the strongest supporter he could ask for. He didn't have a lot, now that he thought about it, but he was grateful for the ones he did have. Lightpaw, of course, and Raindapple. He was probably the favorite of her three sons, actually, but she was very overprotective of him, which sometimes actually made things worse; causing Flashpaw to call him Specklekit, mama's boy, and so on.

But he was glad she was there to protect him most of the time. His father, Scaleclaw, had never particularly cared for him, instead choosing to focus on his healthy kits: Graypaw and Troutpaw. Troutpaw was always teasing Specklepaw, Flashpaw being his idol, but Graypaw didn't seem to care one way or the other. He didn't support his crippled brother, or make fun of him. He was just... there.

Specklepaw was broken out of his thoughts as a cheery "Hello!" interrupted his quiet meal. He looked up; Brightflash was standing in front of him, grinning maniacally. The white she-cat, whom had bright ginger patches, had been chosen as his mentor because one of her forelegs was shorter than the other. Of course, that was nothing compared to his handicap, but it did give her a slight limp nonetheless, so she was the natural choice. The sleek she-cat was often idiotically happy, but Specklepaw didn't know what he would do without her.

"Come on patrol with us, Specklepaw!" she invited him cheerfully. Peering around for the "us", Specklepaw had to bite back a sigh. Coming with them were Dapplepaw, a young calico she-cat, and Drizzlerose, her mentor. Dapplepaw completed the trio of apprentices who made up his worst enemies, probably because it was rumored that she had a huge crush on Flashpaw. If he went on patrol with her, she would probably chase away his patrol, or shove him into a stream when the others weren't looking.

"Come on, Specklepaw, what's wrong?" Brightsplash urged, cocking her head to one side.

"Okay, I'm coming, I'm coming," Specklepaw meowed.

"Sheesh, don't be so gloomy," Brightsplash mewed, rolling her golden eyes. The four padded slowly out of camp, Specklepaw limping along in the back.

* * *

><p>By the end of the patrol, Specklepaw was in a thoroughly bad mood. As he predicted, Dapplepaw had been nothing but trouble the entire hunting patrol. When he was about to pounce on a big trout, she'd splashed the water with her paws and claimed that she'd "slipped". Whenever he missed a camp, she leaned close to him, pretending to encourage him, while she whispered "useless, useless" mockingly in his ear.<p>

_Yes, useless_, Specklepaw thought disgustedly, lying in his nest in the apprentice den. _That's what I am._ He didn't care that Lightpaw would have his hide if she heard him talking this way. It was the truth. The ugly truth. _I'll never really be a use to my Clan. I'll be clumsy in battles. I'll trip when I'm fishing. I'll slow border patrols down. Lightpaw was just trying to encourage me that one time, but really she's right. I should just go to Nightowl or the elders' den._

"Pssst!" A loud hiss startled Specklepaw, making him jump. He whirled around, glimpsing a flash of gold out of the corner of his eye. Flashpaw peered around the edge of the apprentice den. "Specklepaw, come with me!"

"Why should I?" Specklepaw muttered.

"Come with me or you'll regret it," Flashpaw hissed. "I'm actually being nice to you. I'm giving you an opportunity to redeem yourself."

Specklepaw regarded the golden tom suspiciously. "Redeem himself"? How? Certainly nothing that he was going to like. But the larger apprentice was now hissing challengingly, his claws digging into the ground. "Fine," Specklepaw mumbled. "Lead the way, Flashstar."

Flashpaw glared back at Specklepaw suspiciously, as if he was wondering whether the crippled apprentice was mocking him. He seemed to go along with it, however, as he stepped forward, puffing out his chest. "That's right. Finally, you're showing respect for your betters."

Sighing, Specklepaw followed Flashpaw out of the apprentice den and across the RiverClan camp. The constant rain had finally let up; since that day when Lightpaw had given him the pep talk, it had rained nearly every day, causing the river to rise far past its former banks. In fact, he'd overheard his father, Scaleclaw - who happened to be the deputy - asking Mothstar what they would do if it flooded.

Those were Specklepaw's thoughts as he stumbled through RiverClan's territory after the golden tom. The sun was beginning to go down in the sky; an hour or two, and darkness would be upon the Clans. For now, however, it was a round disk on its downward path, streaking the horizon with the faintest hues of orange and pink.

"We're here," Flashpaw announced. Specklepaw, startled, skidded to a stop. He hadn't been watching where they were going. He got a sinking feeling in his stomach when he realized where they had stopped. The river stretched out in front of them. The distance between its two banks was farther than ever. The dark ominous water sliced through the land, running swiftly and nearly silently, with just quiet ripples as it rushed past reeds and river stones. Specklepaw gulped, imagining it swallowing him just as silently.

"Your challenge," Flashpaw announced loftily, "Is to swim to the other bank. Then, you will pass the test. You will no longer be Cripplekit, but a full RiverClan apprentice."

Specklepaw began to panic. He couldn't swim all the way to the other bank! He had never been the best swimmer as it was! There was no _way!_

Flashpaw's hot breath hissed close to Specklepaw's ear. "What? You're not scared, are you?" Specklepaw didn't reply, staring paralyzed at the swift dark river. Flashpaw sighed with mock pity. "Fine... I guess you'll just stay as Cripplekit forever. Stupid, worthless, useless Cripplekit."

A pang of anger hit Specklepaw. Flashpaw was going too far. Then he began to think. Did this mean... if he could make it to the other bank, Flashpaw wouldn't tease him anymore? And if Flashpaw stopped teasing him, so would Troutpaw and Dapplepaw. The large golden tom was the ringleader. And if everyone stopped teasing him... if Scaleclaw found out he'd swam all the way across the river... maybe Scaleclaw would love him, too, and not just his brothers. His whole life could turn around...

Specklepaw squared his shoulders, bracing himself, heart thump-thumping against his chest. "Alright. I'll do it."

"Do what?" came a shrill cry. Specklepaw and Flashpaw whirled to see Lightpaw standing at the crest of the rise. She raced down, bristling with indignation, a mouselength away from Specklepaw. "Specklepaw, what's he making you do?"

"He's not _making_ me do anything," Specklepaw replied. With that, he plunged straight into the river, kicking out hard into the dark waters.

"Specklepaw!" he heard Lightpaw scream. "Specklepaw, get back here this instant!"

"No!" Specklepaw yelled back, as he entered the deeper part of the river. His paws left the gooey river floor, churning through the murky depths. Lightpaw's complaining words faded away behind him; he could only hear her tone, furious and worried, the words blurred away by the rushing of the current.

_This isn't that hard,_ Specklepaw thought. _Why didn't I do this before?_

That's when he hit the main current.

It was like a badger ramming into him, shoving him suddenly off course, swirling him into the deepest, darkest depths. Caught by surprise, his head went under, and Lightpaw's sudden shriek was muffled as water enveloped him.

It was murky and dark; he couldn't see a thing. He tried to hold his breath as he paddled frantically, trying to reach the surface. But his left hind leg couldn't do a thing; the most it did as he moved it back and forth was disrupt his pattern, keeping him from getting any closer to the surface. Finally, his lungs couldn't hold it anymore; he gasped and started coughing, river water flooding into his mouth, his nose, his eyes, his ears. He began to feel light-headed; his vision blurred before him.

_Goodbye, RiverClan..._ he thought dimly, when suddenly there was a loud splash above him, and something grabbed onto him, pulling him up by the scruff, working powerfully towards the surface. They broke into fresh air, and Specklepaw took deep greedy gulps of the fresh air, hacking and coughing up river water as a chill breeze ruffled his small, drenched form. He opened his eyes, blinking water out of them, and caught a flash of gold. _Lightpaw?_ he wondered. Then the cat spoke.

"Help me, you frog-brain, or we're both going to drown!" it snapped. Specklepaw was shocked beyond belief, and almost went under again. It was Flashpaw! _Flashpaw_ had come to rescue him? But why? When Flashpaw had been the reason he was drowning in the first place?

But listening to Flashpaw, Specklepaw started to swim too, paddling the water with his good legs. Slowly, the bedraggled pair swam back towards the RiverClan bank. Specklepaw made out Lightpaw standing on the shore, staring anxiously at the two toms.

But the current was strong, unbelievably so, and it pushed and pulled them so much Specklepaw found their heads going under, if only briefly, every few seconds. "If - I - die - saving you - " Flashpaw grunted through gritted teeth, "I - will - haunt you - forever."

As their struggles grew weaker and weaker, Specklepaw glanced up and realized that Lightpaw was no longer at the bank. She had left them. Then they went under for the last time; Flashpaw's jaws fell away from Specklepaw's scruff, and he found himself in the exact same situation as he had once before that night. Only this time, Flashpaw was with him, his golden body floating down above him. I'm a RiverClan cat. Drowning. he thought, but found no humor in it. He began to choke again, the world going hazy and dark around him. _I'm sorry, Lightpaw... Raindapple... Brightsplash... I failed you._

Just before he closed his eyes for the last time, letting go of reality forever, he heard a faraway splash and saw three shapes diving in above him.

* * *

><p><em>One moon later...<em>

"Lightstream! Flashspots! Lightstream! Flashspots!" The Clan cheered their names, rushing up around their two newest warriors. Lightstream smiled gently, welcoming her friends and family. But even though this was supposed to be one of the happiest moments of her life, their was still a dark shadow cast over it. Specklepaw.

He had died in the river that day. They'd never recovered the body. Flashpaw was devastated. Though he'd teased the crippled apprentice without a second thought, he'd never imagined that Specklepaw would actually die in the river. That's why he'd jumped in after him. But after Specklepaw really had died, Flashpaw was wracked with guilt. He was like a changed cat. He became better, nicer, more respectful. And as their warrior ceremony grew closer, he went to Mothstar and requested a specific warrior name: Flashspots, in honor of Specklepaw. Of course, Mothstar had granted the request.

Lightstream closed her eyes, images of the crippled apprentice dancing before her eyes. His smile, his emerald-green eyes, the lopsided way she ran... She gazed up at the starry sky, certain he was watching her. She took a shuddery breath and let out a soft, nearly inaudible whisper.

"I'm sorry, Specklepaw."

* * *

><p><strong>Depressing... anyway. That ended up being a lot longer than 1,500 words. xD<strong>


	3. Father

Spiderleg nosed around the prey pile, debating whether to choose a squirrel or a robin. Suddenly, a nearly heart-stopping yowl made his fur stand on end. He whirled around to see Rosepetal stagger through the camp entrance, body marked with scratches. Foxleap and Sorreltail hurried in next, also wounded, dragging Toadstep's body, riddled with bite marks and scratches, splashed with red. Toadstep. Suddenly Spiderleg wasn't in the stone hollow, he was back on that fateful night so many moons ago...

_He'd grown close to Daisy slowly. After all, she was another cat with few friends, an outsider who needed assistance integrating into Clan life. Oh, he had friends, just not any particularly close ones. He was a solitary creature mostly, but sometimes... the aloneness got to him. So he started carefully. And over time, they became friends. And to him... maybe something more?_

Here was Daisy now, running up to the patrol, but Spiderleg was frozen, his mind in shock. Was Toadstep dead? But no... the rise and fall of his chest was there, however faint. "What happened?" Daisy demanded.

"B-Badger attack..." Foxleap choked out. Daisy gasped, breaking down in hysterics in no time, as the other cats hurried Toadstep, and themselves, into Jayfeather's den.

_ Spiderleg staggered out of the nursery, his claws curving into the earth. Ferncloud... Dustpelt... to them, he was just one of their many kits. No matter he was from their first litter. They were too busy tangled up with Foxkit and Icekit. And Birchfall, even, now that he was sidling closer to Whitewing. No one had ever paid him much attention, really. He had no close friends in the Clan. And tonight they'd lectured him on how selfish he was. Maybe he _was_ being a little bit selfish. But he deserved better. He didn't deserve to be alone, every second of the day... no. He didn't need to be alone. He had Daisy. He'd seen her slip out of camp just before he entered the nursery. Maybe tonight, he could finally confess his feelings._

He had to follow them. Had to see what happened to Toadstep. He rose haltingly to his paws and crept, hesitantly, up the ledge to the medicine cat den. He paused at the bramble screen, gazing with trepidation into the thorns. Taking a deep breath, he pushed through, into the warm darkness. They were all there: Jayfeather, Sorreltail, Foxleap, Rosepetal, Toadstep, Daisy. He hovered near the entrance, watching the blind gray tabby work furiously on Daisy's son. _His_ son. He didn't dare come any closer.

_That one-night fling had been perfect, but the rift between him and Daisy just wouldn't close, no matter how many times he tried to force himself to go up to her. After that night he'd been left confused, his mind whirling. Did he really love her? He was forced to admit that he didn't. That night on the lake, he tried to think of a way to tell her. Then she appeared behind him, like a sign from StarClan, that now was the time. Then the big reveal. She was expecting his kits. It had hit him like a raging hurricane. No. _No! _ He'd never wanted to be a _father_, even if he _was_ with Daisy, and, and he'd just broken up with her, he _didn't_ love her, how could he father her _kits? _Oh no dear StarClan, how could this _happen_ to him!_

Finally, Jayfeather finished plastering cobwebs and leaves and petals onto his body. "That's all I can do. He's in StarClan's paws now," the blind tom mewed quietly. Then he moved on to treating the lesser injuries of the other patrol members. No one seemed to have noticed Spiderleg yet. Finally, Jayfeather shooed out Foxleap and Sorreltail, dipped his head to Daisy, and hurried out after them. Spiderleg hesitantly took another step.

_He didn't come to see his own kits until a quarter-moon after they were born. It freaked him out how similar they looked to him. Rosekit with that slender form, Toadkit with those black patches and identical eyes. But he couldn't be a father to them. He just couldn't. The thought made his paws shake, his ears flatten. He'd never wanted to be a father. And if he didn't love Daisy, how could he love them? How could he look at them, even, when every glance reminded him of her, what they could have had, what he'd ruined, his aloneness, everything wrong with himself, everything that must keep his Clanmates away from him. Somehow, their fuzzy little faces became the symbol of all his problems and shortcomings. He really had hated them for a while. For moons._

"What are you doing here? This is for family members only." Rosepetal's frosty voice cut into him, and he flinched. His gaze drifted to Toadstep, lying unmoving on the cave floor, hardly breathing.

_But as time passed, the hate faded, and he tried to force himself to speak to them, to talk to them, but he couldn't. He couldn't be their real father anyway, if he wasn't with Daisy. So he began to avoid them. It was easier. So much easier. And guilt began to creep in, but he pushed it away, ignoring it.. Just like he had pushed away them, ignored them._

"Do you think he'll be okay?" he asked, ignoring her comment. "I am his father, you know. Aren't I allowed to care about him?"

_But he'd grown up. Slowly. And his urge to be with them grew stronger. But he knew he couldn't just jump in. They hated him now. Their lives had built around him not being there. If he suddenly showed up, he'd shatter them. So he kept away, regret gnawing at them. Better that way. Better for both of them. Better than actually doing something._

"Since when were you our father?" Rosepetal hissed.

"Rosepetal!" Daisy gasped.

"No, really!" the dark cream she-cat growled. "You haven't even spoken to me in almost a moon. A _moon, _Spiderleg. You didn't even come to my _apprentice ceremony_, for StarClan's sake! Do you know how that felt, as a kit? My own father, not even caring to come to one of the most important events of my _life_." Her voice dropped to a bitter snarl. "No, Spiderleg. You've never been our father, just the cat who fathered us."

_ He'd tried to build up the courage to speak to them for a moon, but he just couldn't. He was cowardly. Worthless. Selfish. Like he always had been. That's why he'd never had any real friends. His Clan life was improving, though. He'd sidled in with Birchfall and Whitewing, but he still struggled with his self-esteem every day._

He looked at her helplessly, unable to say a word, because really, it was true. All of it was. He'd been as much a father to them as Smoky was to Daisy's first litter - in other words, not at all. "I still care," he protested weakly. "I always have."'

_But still..._

"Oh yeah?" she hissed. "Why haven't you ever shown that? What about visiting us, then? Going on patrol with us? Saying 'I love you'? The first time you even called us _your_ kits was the time Toadstep and I snuck out of camp as kits. When you were yelling at us for trying to catch prey. We were five moons old, you know. Trying to impress you, because then maybe you'd _love us_!"

_through the guilt, the self-loathing..._

Spiderleg didn't say a word. Neither did Daisy. Obviously, Rosepetal had this bottled up for a long time. She needed to get it out, all of it, and he wouldn't interrupt, even though each honest word raked on his ears like claws.

_even though he knew_

"But you know what, Spiderleg? I've long since stopped caring what you think. It was probably around nine moons when I promised never to allow you to let me down again. When you skipped out on coming to train me, again, and Hazeltail had to comfort me at the lake. You're not my dad, and you never will be, Spiderleg. You forced Mother to raise another litter of kits without a mate. She'll never forgive you, and neither will I." Her voice began to catch, dropping into a wail. "And now - and now my brother is injured, and I don't even know if he'll live, and just - and just _get out! _Don't pretend to care about us now, when you never have before! Just _GET OUT_!" She shrieked the last word and collapsed into a heap of dappled cream fur, sobbing into her paws.

_the day had passed_

Spiderleg spoke very softly. "You're right. I'm not your father, and I probably never can be. But that doesn't mean I hate you. I have reasons for staying away from you, not any that make up for my treatment of you, but they're there. I wasn't prepared for kits. I wasn't prepared to be a father. Your mother told me right after I broke up with her. I couldn't, couldn't take on that responsibility. My self-esteem was in tatters. I was too young and naive then. So I avoided you. It was easier than stepping in. It was the cowardly way out." He felt his pride crumbling around him and landing in shattered black shards at his paws. Embarrassment flooded through him and he had to force himself to spit out the words. "I do care about you. But you're right," he repeated, "I'm not part of your family, not now, maybe not ever." He took a deep breath. "I'm older now. More experienced. I'd like to get to know you a little bit better, Rosepetal. But I understand if you don't want me in your life, you know."

_he wished he knew_

"I hate you, you know," Rosepetal whispered.

_what it was like_

"I know." He gazed sadly at her. "Tell me what happens to Toadstep."

_to be called_

And with that, he walked away.

_Father._


	4. Exploit

**A/N: I'm baaack~**

**This one is full of Dark Forest kitties. It was somewhat inspired by Prin Pardus's _Chilled_, though it is quite its own story. A depressing one, too. (Well, by the title, _obviously_). The next one will be adorable, but be prepared for some T-ratedness in here.**

* * *

><p>"Wow... we're already almost there?" The golden she-cat's voice was excited, breathless.<p>

"We have been traveling for three moons," the brown tabby reminded her. "Traveling quite hard, by the way."

The she-cat ducked her head in embarrassment. "I wish I could have been more of a help. Me sitting around in ThunderClan while you guys walk for hours..."

The tom, her brother, purred. "Nonsense, Birdsong. You're the most important one. The ceremony wouldn't be complete without you."

"Yeah, well..." Birdsong sighed. They fell into silence before several moments, before she mewed, "Aspentail?"

"What?" he asked.

"What if StarClan won't accept you?"

Aspentail was quiet. He shrugged, eventually answering, "That's the whole point of opening the Pool, right? If we've made it this far, gotten a living cat to help us, we must be worthy, wouldn't you think? Though if they don't..." His tail flicked. "Dark Forest cats can contact the living. We'll find a way, Birdsong. The warrior code _will_ change."

There was a rustle in the undergrowth, and the golden she-cat brightened. "They're back!"

Five cats, two toms and three she-cats, strode from between the dull, stunted plant life. One of them, a dark brown female, went straight up to Aspentail. "Excited to finally get your audience with StarClan?"

"Of course!" he exclaimed. "What I did was for the good of the Clans. I shouldn't be punished because a few cats died along the way." After a moment's pause, he added, "Aren't you, Briarwind?"

She opened her mouth to respond, when a yowl interrupted them. Its source was a regal dappled silver she-cat, her paws dark gray and her eyes strikingly blue. "Come on," she meowed, "the Pool is just ahead."

The cats exchanged excited glances. "Finally..." a bright ginger tabby murmured, "after all these moons. Come on, guys, let's go!"

"Oh, Blazey," Briarwind mewed, nudging her brother affectionately. "Always so impatient."

"Blazey", better known as Blazeheart, grinned sheepishly and bounded to the fore of the group, where its self-appointed leader - the silver she-cat - was showing the way.

Someone gasped. "There it is!" A white-and-gray she-cat tore ahead, tail straight up in the air. Indeed, there was a bright glimmer in the trees ahead. Birdsong and Aspentail exchanged glances and bounded after her. Delighted cries were soon heard from all seven cats.

They had reached the Pool of Stars. Finally, after so much time, so much effort, they were here. Birdsong hurried over to the cat in the group - besides Aspentail, of course - who had shown the most affection to her: Petalsky, the gray-and-white cat, who happened to also be a medicine cat (when she was alive, that is). Petalsky's gaze, however, was tinged with worry.

"What's wrong?" Birdsong asked cheerfully.

Petalsky started. "U-Uh..."

"Worried about StarClan?" she suggested sympathetically.

"Uh, y-yeah, that's it," Petalsky stammered. Birdsong, though, couldn't help but feel there was something else troubling her friend.

"So, Eveningstar? Should we begin the ceremony?" a deep voice rang out. It was Darkthorn, a strong black-furred tom.

The silver she-cat lifted her chin. "Yes. I believe we should." Her gaze raked over the motley group of cats before her. "As you know, opening the Pool requires the giving of energy. First, us Dark Forest cats must each give up a bit of energy. Then, the living cat - " she dipped her head to Birdsong - "must give up some of theirs to complete the energy, thereby completing the ceremony. Then, we will be granted an... audience with StarClan."

Anticipation stirred in the cats' hearts. Aspentail could barely contain his excitement. _We've been wronged by StarClan, all of us. We don't belong here. Now... things will finally be set right._

Eveningstar continued, "Everyone circle up around the Pool. Not you, Birdsong - you come later."

"O-Okay." Birdsong smiled, pausing midstep. She sat instead, wrapping her mottled tail over her paws. Aspentail, Blazeheart, Briarwind, Petalsky, Darkthorn, and Eveningstar all padded up to the Pool, settling down around it.

"W-Wow..." A gasp escaped Petalsky's lips. "It's so pretty!" Murmurs and nods ensued around the circle. The Pool of Stars shone and shimmered, its surface crystal-clear, tinging silver. There was no discernable bottom to it. And inside it, dozens of stars glittered beautifully... the only stars to be seen in the whole of the Dark Forest. Several moments elapsed, just staring into its depths.

Eventually Darkthorn asked irritably, "Are we going to keep acting like kits or are we going to get on with the ceremony?"

Eveningstar dipped her head. "Well-said. Now... everyone, have the cat on your left give you a scratch. On your chest, maybe. Not too deep," she cautioned.

Aspentail looked confused. "...Why?"

"Just do it!" Eveningstar snapped. "That's how we'll give up energy."

The pale tabby tom nodded, still slightly puzzled. He turned to the cat on his left, Darkthorn. He winced as Darkthorn extended a claw and drew it across Aspentail's chest. Silver life-force seeped out of the wound immediately. With the new pain stinging in him, he unsheathed his own claws and gave his other neighbor, Briarwind, a scratch.

Soon, everyone had a new small wound. "Now," Eveningstar instructed, "direct the energy to the Pool. Shouldn't be too hard, just use your mind to picture it going into the Pool... Ah!" The silver leader let out a gasp as the life-force staining her chest began to glow. It streamed through the air, swirling into the Pool's star-dotted waters.

Aspentail's eyes were round as twin moons. He concentrated, picturing himself doing the same. To his shock, before too long his chest began to tingle as his own life-force floated into the Pool.

"That's enough," mewed Eveningstar suddenly. Aspentail dropped his concentration and the remaining life-force fell to the ground, splattering silver on the dank grass. To his surprise, the Pool began to glow, much brighter than before. Its waters began to churn, and soon large choppy waves were frothing throughout its surface. "Now... Birdsong, you'll give up your energy."

Birdsong, wide-eyed, stepped nervously to the Pool's edge. "Do I just... do the same thing as you?" she asked timidly.

There was no reply, as Eveningstar made eye contact with Briarwind and Blazeheart, the closest cats to Birdsong. They nodded. In one swift move, both had leaped onto Birdsong, tackling her to the ground.

"Birdsong!" Aspentail gasped.

The golden she-cat struggled, shocked. "Wh-What are you doing? Get off of me!"

"No can do, honey," Blazeheart spat.

Aspentail whirled. "What are you doing?!" he exclaimed.

"Why, just completing the ceremony, dearie," Eveningstar chuckled darkly.

"Let me go, please!" Birdsong begged.

"Doesn't she just have to give up some of her energy?!" Aspentail demanded.

"Why, yes," Eveningstar responded sweetly. "And the best way to do that is, of course..." She unsheathed her claws, taking a menacing step closer to the young she-cat.

"Wait, no! Help! _Aspentail!_" Birdsong cried. She struggled madly, but she was held firm under Briarwind and Blazeheart's paws.

"Birdsong - agh!" Darkthorn sprang, landing squarely on Aspentail's back, knocking him to the ground. Aspentail flailed, hissing and spitting, but the black tom was stronger.

"Hold still, mutt!" Darkthorn growled.

Aspentail was silent, his eyes frantic as he watched Eveningstar stop a mouselength from his panicking sister.

"No! Please! Wait! _AHHHH!_" She shrieked as Eveningstar's claws swiped across her throat.

After that, it was a blur. Aspentail shot forward, loosing himself from Darkthorn, only to have a heavy paw come down on his head. Pain lanced through him and everything was black, black, black...

* * *

><p>The light brown tabby's eyes fluttered open. Pain pulsed through his head and chest; silver life-force still oozed sluggishly from the latter wound. Suddenly, his eyes flew open wide. "Birdsong! <em>NO!<em>"

The mottled golden she-cat was slumped lifelessly by the edge of the Pool. Blood streamed from gaping wounds in her throat and stomach. "B-Birdsong..." he whimpered in disbelief.

Then he spotted them. Those he had thought were his friends. Darkthorn, Petalsky, Briarwind, Blazeheart, and Eveningstar, all crouched around the Pool of Stars, chests scratched like his.

Then he saw the Pool itself.

It writhed and churned, gradually forming itself into a raging whirlpool. The water swirled down, glowing, the stars in it thin bright streaks going around and around. Birdsong's blood flowed into it freely, staining parts of it reddish-pink as it was sucked down into the abyss.

"You're back, eh?" Aspentail flinched as Darkthorn's indifferent voice boomed beside him. "You were out for a few minutes there."

"...Wh-Why?" he croaked.

"Don't believe everything you hear, kit," Eveningstar spat scathingly.

_"I'll kill you!"_ Aspentail roared, suddenly filled with insane rage. "_Murderer!"_ He lunged, claws unsheathed. But a black paw flashed in his vision, and he tumbled to the ground in a heap of tangled legs and blurred vision.

" 'Murderer.' That doesn't have the same sting it does the first twenty times you hear it," Eveningstar mocked.

"Tell me the truth. _Now,"_ Aspentail snarled.

"You want the truth? Fine. You'll have it," the silver leader growled. The ring of cats was quiet for a moment. The dappled she-cat's eyes met those of her cohorts. The only noise was the rushing of the Pool's frenzied water.

Petalsky spoke. Her blue eyes were round with sorrow as they darted to Birdsong's motionless body. "The Pool opens a rift into StarClan's territory. The Dark Forest is otherwise sealed off from them, but they needed one way in in case we stirred up trouble."

Blazeheart continued, "But to force it open from our side, a huge sacrifice of energy - life-force, blood - is needed to overload it."

"But why didn't you..." Aspentail whispered.

"Tell you?" Eveningstar broke in. "We had this planned from the start, little would-be leader of the Clans. None of us could have lured in a living cat. Our relatives are long-dead, in StarClan, and our names feared. Your idealistic ways were just what we needed."

"Why do you want to break into StarClan?" he asked, his voice raw with betrayal, orange eyes burning.

Eveningstar's own eyes began to glitter madly. "Revenge. Why else? Besides the workings of the ceremony, everything we told you was true. We can drive StarClan from their territory and live there like kings. Give _them_ a taste of the Dark Forest. And then, who knows? We may even cause a little chaos in the Clans. Death and fun things like that." She grinned.

_"Eveningstar!"_ Briarwind cried out suddenly, panicked. "We've waited too long!" The whirlpool was beginning to die down, the rift closing.

"Fox dung," Eveningstar growled. She turned back to Aspentail, glaring fiercely, claws unsheathed.

"You're insane," Aspentail choked out, struggling to his paws. "I wanted to _save_ the Clans, and even though cats died on the way to my leadership..." He paused, drawing a shaky breath. "I won't let you."

Darkthorn jumped then, once again holding Aspentail down. The pale tabby spat, trying desperately to escape his grip, but thorn-sharp claws scraped his shoulders and he fell still. He knew that he was no match for Darkthorn's raw strength.

"You never learn, do you?" Eveningstar snarled. She raised her glinting claws. "I think the Pool could use another sacrifice."

Aspentail's eyes went round as the leader's claws slashed his throat open wide. Suddenly his own blood was soaking his fur. Unimaginable pain seared through him. His vision began to blur as the Dark Forest cats jumped into the Pool, which was whirling with renewed vigor, one-by-one.

Eveningstar was last. "Remember, kit," she hissed, "There may be a few undeserving cats trapped here... but I am not one of them." Then she joined her companions, diving into the whirlpool.

Aspentail's whole body shuddered with horror, pain, and betrayal. A thin, halting breath escaped his lips as his eyes closed for the last time.

His blood swirled down the Pool of Stars, mixing with Birdsong's as it was consumed in the void. Then, as suddenly as it had sprang to life, the Pool stilled.

One-by-one, five cats appeared in StarClan, leaving the torn bodies of the siblings they'd exploited behind.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This was originally going to be much longer, with backstories on all the characters and such. Since those backstories shouldn't go to waste... I believe some of the cats we've seen here will get their own oneshots. :)**


	5. Boredom

"Whitekit?"

"What?"

"I'm bowed."

Whitekit yawned and rolled over, cracking open an eye to stare at his littermate, Wolfkit, who had just asked the question. Beside him, their sister Mistkit was lying on her back, staring at him upside down, looking equally as restless.

Whitekit rubbed his nose with a paw. As one of the more... creative of the bunch, it often fell to him to invent games for his siblings to play. Not that he minded. "Wanna pway... GowseCwan inbasion?"

"We just pwayed that yestewday," Wolfkit denied, wrinkling his nose.

"We could pway expwowews," Mistkit suggested softly. Her foggy blue eyes were hopeful.

"Aw, but you don't do anything in expwowews," Wolfkit complained. "Aww you do is twamp awound, and discobew stuff, and bwah bwah bwah."

"But I wike expwowews!" Mistkit cried indignantly.

"Weww what do you want to pway, Wowfkit?" Whitekit demanded, quickly tiring of his sibling's stubbornness.

"I was thinking... we could be on a secwet mission," Wolfkit meowed. His deep blue eyes twinkled, framed by long, fluffy black fur.

"Kits," came a reminding voice. The three jumped and spun around. Behind them, Mouseshadow was blinking at them sleepily, tail flicking. "If you want to be loud, please go outside, m'kay? These little ones are trying to sleep." She brushed her tail over the three tiny, one-moon-old kits nestled at her belly. One of them - Birchkit, the adorable mottled brown she-kit - raised her petite head and let out something between a squeak and a yawn. Her cloudy blue eyes, which had still not changed color, cracked open.

"Awwwww," Mistkit whispered, eyes wide with delight.

"Come on," sighed Wolfkit, "weeet's go." The three padded out of the den into LeafClan's main camp, Mistkit a little reluctantly.

"So whewe's this secwet mission, Wowfcwaw?" Whitekit wanted to know.

"Wowfstaw this time," proclaimed Wolfkit proudly. Whitekit rolled his eyes, while Mistkit giggled quietly. Her brother was such a show-off. He always wanted to be the leader or the deputy. And when that was denied him, StarClan forbid he be anything lower than the Clan's best warrior! "Anyway," he went on, "we'we in a secwet mission to GowseCwan tewwitowy. Whiteheawt is my bwiwwiant stwa... stwa... stwagagist." He stumbled over the complicated word. "Yeah, stwagagist. With Mist... Mist... Mist..." His face screwed up as he attempted to think of a warrior name for his petite silver sister.

"Mistpetaw," she volunteered.

His face lit up. "Yeah! That's a good one! Okay, and we gotta find out... um... we'we..."

Lost again. This time Whitekit played along, supplying the answer. "We'be gotta wescue the kits they stowe! Which are in... _the medicine cat den!_" he proclaimed dramatically. He swung his muzzle to point to the fern-shaded corner of camp where Mintleaf kept her den, along with her apprentice, Dawnblaze.

"Good one, Whiteheawt! A good stwagagist awweady! Now wet's go!"

"Um..." Mistkit spoke up again, "I don't think Mintweaf wants us in hew den... she'ww be mad..."

"Oh, it'ww be_ fine_, Mistpetaw," Wolf"star" denied. "Don't be a pawty poopew."

She flushed under her striped silver fur. "I'm _not!_"

"Weww then come _on!_ Unwess you'we gonna tell Mommy," Wolfkit sneered.

"Don't be a butthead, Wowfkit," Whitekit countered. "Wet's go."

Mistkit bounded after her larger brothers, still fuming slightly, as they headed for the edges of MapleClan's camp. Wolfkit led them into the very fringes of the camp, where thick bramble-reinforced bushes blocked the way out, and branches shaded the way so that they could sneak by unnoticed. They slunk along in the shadows, inching closer and closer to the entrance to Mintleaf's den. They dropped into the very best hunting crouches they could remember. Mistkit was pretty sure hers had to be good. Blackwhisker had taught it to Ashpaw, who had shown it to Emberkit, who had shown it to Mistkit and her siblings. It was about the most failproof thing she had ever heard of, in fact.

"Awert!" Wolfkit cried suddenly, throwing up his fluffy tail.

"What? What?" Whitekit clamored to see around his brother, and Mistkit peered around them, worrying that they would be busted.

"Mintweaf awert," he hissed. Now Mistkit could see. Mintleaf was emerging from her den. She glanced both ways - causing Mistkit to cringe - before striding into the open clearing and seizing a wren from the fresh-kill pile. "Dawnblaze," she called, "gather some chamomile, now would you, I'm going to take a break to eat."

"Sure!" came a muffled meow. Dawnblaze, a gray-and-white she-cat, padded out as well. Several strong-smelling leaves were clamped in her jaws. "Can I share first?" She took a few more steps.

Mintleaf rolled her eyes. "Well, that kind of defeats the purpose..."

"Now's ouw chance!" Wolfkit hissed. The three kits hurtled across empty space, excitement pumping through Wolfkit, happiness through Whitekit, and for Mistkit, a brief moment of fear before they reached the safety of the medicine cat den.

"Woww," she breathed, "it's so coow in hewe! Whoaa!~"

"Shh! Mistpetaw, you'ww awert the enemy!" Wolfkit hissed.

"Oops!" Blue eyes wide, she glanced quickly around the medicine cat's den for ideas. A small pool of water, several tail-lengths wide, lay to the right. Several carefully made beds of moss were positioned around it. To the left, a very large log - in height, width _and_ length - was sprawled across the ground. In fact... it appeared to be hollow in the center. "Whiteheawt! Wowfstaw! I think they'we keeping the kits in thewe!" She flicked her tail toward the fallen log.

"Good wowk, wawwiow!" declared her confident sibling. "Wet's wescue them!"

The three kits scurried into the log and glanced around. Quickly excitement and awe overtook their little game. "Just_ wook_ at all these!" cried Wolfkit. He bounced deeper into the hollow log. Countless little piles of leaves, seeds, petals, roots, and berries were stuffed into the ridges and niches of the log's inside. Several more piles, full of random herbs, were heaped at the very back of the log. A warm, fresh bed of moss was made up directly in front of those unsorted piles. Long strands of grass and fern covered the floor of the log, likely to prevent the equally niched and ridged bottom of the log from hurting tender pawpads.

"Mmmm, it smewws so good in hewe!" Mistkit meowed delightedly. She leaned forward to sniff a pile of small green leaves. Her nose brushed too close and they went fluttering to the floor - along with the stock of tiny seeds that had been next to them. "Oops!" she squeaked with embarrassment, but no one was listening. Whitekit and Wolfkit had wandered deeper into the log; the first was pawing through one of the herb-piles, and the second seemed to be trying out Mintleaf's nest for himself.

Mistkit stared at them in shock. "You _guys!_" she cried. "We'we not dapposed to _be_ in hewe! If we mess up hew _stuff_, too, she'ww get us in eben _mowe_ twouble! Awe you eben wistening to me? _Guys!_"

"You'we wuining my fun, Mistkit," was Wolfkit's sulky reply.

Whitekit stopped, a worried expression overtaking his blue eyes. "Yeahhhh, but she's pwobabwy wight," he meowed. He tried to paw the pile back into its former shape. "Come on, Wowfkit, wet's go pway in the medicine cat cweawing instead."

Wolfkit huffed, but stood and shook out his fluffy pelt, dislodging several scraps of moss.

"Oh! Wait!" Mistkit squealed. "I gotta fix this stuff fiwst!" She glanced at the scattered herbs by her paws in dismay. The only way she could think of to put the seeds back were to put them on her tongue and hope Mintleaf didn't notice that they were all spitty. She lapped at them nervously, scraping them back onto the ridge they'd come from. By the time most of them were back on the ledge, though, her tongue felt... strange. It didn't respond to her commands; it flopped uselessly around her mouth, like a fat old slug. She began to panic, but once again, her brothers were paying her no mind. Their attention was on the good-smelling leaves that had fallen to the floor, and their eyes were very wide.

Whitekit broke into a purr. He seized a large jawful of them and trotted out of the log with his tail high in the air like a banner. Wolfkit followed as though under a spell.

"He-! Gezz! Whe' you ffen yo - " Mistkit tried to say around her numb tongue, and then burst into tears. She laid down on the floor of the log and sniffled quietly. What was wrong with her? Would it last forever? Before long, a powerful exhaustion began to tug at her limbs, sweeping over her as quick and strong as a wave in the sea. She was dragged under and into sleep in moments.

The next thing she knew distant screaming was piercing her ears, and she swam back into consciousness, opening her eyes stare straight into a wall of bristling tan fur. "Wuah!" she cried, and scrambled back, her still-sleepy limbs struggling to respond correctly.

A pair of sharp, glaring green eyes turned on her. "And _you!_ Don't you EVER get into my herbs again, DO YOU HEAR ME?"

"Y-y-yes!" Mistkit squeaked out. She began to cry again.

"**And don't think you'll get out of punishment just by being cute and crying! 'Cuz you ****_won't!_**" Mintleaf yowled. She seemed to want StarClan itself to hear her wrath. Mistkit was suddenly aware of Whitekit and Wolfkit, huddling near her as well. Their eyes were wide and scared. "_You wasted the last of my good catmint just playing with it. Cats could __**die**__ because of what you did. Did you ever think of that?!_"

"Mintleaf!" The voice was sharp and familiar, and best of all, nearby. From the outside world came Moonsky, their mother, fur framed against the light like an angel come to save them. "I'll discipline my kits _myself,_ thank you very much."

"You don't understand," Mintleaf seethed. "They destroyed a very valuable herb. One that will be hard to restock befo - "

"I understand," Moonsky replied, calmly but firmly. Her narrowed blue eyes were leveled with Mintleaf's green ones. "I'll help you gather new catmint myself. But yelling at my kits won't change anything."

Mistkit's heart lifted. So she wouldn't get in trouble?

"And I can assure you, they won't get off scotch-free for what they did."

...Of course she would.

* * *

><p>Turns out they were grounded. For three days. No leaving the nursery at all. They could play, but they had to be very quiet and careful, because there were little kits in the nursery now, and wouldn't they feel bad if they hurt them, so they'd better not wake anyone up or accidentally crush Beechkit or Squirrelkit or Groundkit, as if that were something they were likely to do.<p>

After this long and productive rant, Moonsky left them in the nursery to help Dawnblaze gather catmint.

It was very quiet in the nursery with her gone and Mouseshadow asleep. Leafwind was out on a hunting patrol or something, and Emberkit and his siblings were playing outside like any normal kit would.

Five minutes passed, thick with silence. Mistkit felt as though she would die before this punishment was over. She could almost feel the life drain from her paws.

Finally, Wolfkit spoke up.

"Whitekit?"

"What?"

"I'm bowed."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well, I actually wrote most of this months and months ago. Then I remembered it existed and finished it in about twenty minutes. :P**

**It was good to write about these three again. Mistkit, Whitekit, and Wolfkit have existed since 2010, and they will be the main characters of an upcoming trilogy of mine, Black White & Gray. I haven't written them in ages, and their kit escapades are so cute and fluffy to do. I haven't done anything ****_this_**** cute in ****_ages!_**

**Anyway. Hope you enjoyed this~**


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